The Arrogant Duke

CHAPTER ONE

Grace Hamilton-Sullivan paid a small amount of American dollars to the coach of the carriage she’d hired to take her and her son back to their old house in Suffolk. It had been a long and exhausting trip, having just arrived from Boston.

Truthfully, the past few months had been nothing but an emotional swirl she wished to forget. With the sudden death of her beloved husband, James, all she had left in memory of him was their four–year old son, James.

“What are we doing here?” James asked his mother. “Why did we leave Daddy in Boston?”

“From now on, we are going to live here, James.” Grace informed her son. “Your Daddy is always with us, right here.” She pointed at his heart. “He will always be watching you, us, wherever we may go.”

“But …”

“No more ‘buts’, James,” scolded Grace. “I want you to be on your best behavior.”

“Why?”

“Because Daddy is in heaven now,” she replied. “If he sees you causing trouble then I’m quite certain that he’d be angry at you. He is up on the clouds, watching us right now.”

Innocently, James tilted his head and looked at the clouds. “Which one?”

“I’m not sure, but he’s there.” Grace laughed lightly. “He told me.”

“Why didn’t he tell me?” James complained. “He could have said which cloud he was on, so I wouldn’t have to look hard now.”

It was times like this that Grace loved her son the most. She loved how he can speak fully now, almost like an adult, but sometimes she’d missed how their son would call James as ‘Dada’, and such. If she could turn back time, then she’d repeat those moments over and over again. They were her most treasured memory.

“Is this our house?” James asked, fascinated by the only hotel Suffolk had.

“For now,” she replied. “This will be temporary until I find ourselves a more stable home.”

“When are we going back to Boston?”

“I’m not sure if we ever will.” Grace murmured in reply.

“What?”

“Nothing,” she said. “Come, let’s go inside.”

As she stepped inside, all eyes turned to her. Was it her mourning attire that caught everyone’s attention? She proceeded to the front desk where a good friend of her family, Yvette, stood to greet her.

“Grace Hamilton?” Yvette said. “You’re back.”

“Sullivan,” she corrected. “It’s been a long time, Yvette.”

“It has,” Yvette agreed. “Is this charming, young man your son?”

“Yes,” Grace nodded. “His name is James, after both his father, and grandfather.”

“I see,” Yvette looked at James with delight. “Now, what can I do for you?”

“We need a room, preferably a suite?” Grace asked. “Just for a couple of weeks until we find a decent house to live in.”

“What about your father’s? He can certainly provide a room for you and young James here.”

“He doesn’t know that we’re here, that I’m here.”

“Having troubles with your husband? Is that why you’re here?” Yvette asked.

“No,” Grace shook her head, her eyes misting. “He passed away, recently.”

“Oh, goodness gracious,” Yvette gasped. “I’m sorry, child.”

“Thank you,” Grace looked at his son, who still had no idea that his father had just died. “But for now, a room, if you may?”

“Of course,” Yvette looked at the log book to check the rooms that are available for occupation for both mother and child. “There is no suite available yet, but we do have a room with two beds. I can transfer you to a suite once one is vacant and ready to occupy.”

“Yes, yes.” Grace said. “That will do just fine, but please to inform me once a suite is vacant.”

Yvette had ordered a bellboy to assist Grace and James’s luggage, however, Grace stayed behind to ask. “Yvette, will you do a favor for me, please?”

“Anything,” Yvette told her. “What is it, darling?”

“Can you please recommend me to friends, or acquaintance even, for a job?A governess. Anything will do.” Grace asked of her. “Something that will involve children will be better, as I want James to be with me all the time.”

“Well,” Yvette hesitated to speak. “Jessamine Thompson is always in need of a governess for her children … I can ask her if she is in need of any assistance.”

“Yes, thank you.” Grace stopped and wondered for a second. Could it be that Jessamine Thompson is Edward Knight’s sister? It was not possible though, as Jessamine was younger than her. She shook her head and proceeded to their room.

“Mommy?” James called, as Grace helped him remove his clothes for a bath.

“Yes?” Grace asked. “What is it?”

“You know, our house in Boston is so much nicer than this. I have my own room there, all the toys that daddy bought me. And grandma and grandpa … Lorelai and Amanda. Why do we have to move here?”

“Don’t you want to meet your other grandparents?” Grace asked. “And as for your cousins, you have more here.”

“I do?” James asked excitedly. “Are we going to meet them?”

“You will,” Grace agreed. “But first, you need a bath.”

Grace was not entirely sure of what awaits for she and James in Suffolk, but she believed that leaving Boston for home would have been what James would have wanted for them.